Bread-actuated electric toaster



NOV.'2, 1954 IRELAND 2,693,143

BREAD-ACTUATED ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed Dec. -10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q- H v 2'2 R Y.

1 Q Q p. o Q g 8 \N n {v s K m E O n 3 e o X T INVENTOR.

MURRAY IRELAND ATTORNEY IRELAND BREAD-ACTUATED ELECTRIC TOASTER Nov. 2, 1954 Filed Dec. 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 66 a, MIIIII/IIIIIMI "ll/L MURRAY IRELAND ATTORNEY IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 2, 1954 Filed Dec. 10, 1949 M. IRELAND BREAD-ACTUATED ELECTRIC TOASTER 4 Shets-Sheet s MURRAY IRELHND A 77 ORNE Y Un ted States Pate BREAD-ACTUATED ELECTRIC TOASTER Murray Ireland, Elgin, Ill., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Elgin, 11L, a corporation of Delaware Application December 10, 1949, Serial No. 132,305

Claims. (Cl. 99391) The present invention relates to automatic electric toasters and to bread-actuated controls therefor.

Objects of the invention include the provision of an improved article-actuated toaster or the like, the provision of improved control and operating mechanism therefor, and the provision of an improved electric toaster. These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description of certain specific embodiments thereof which illustrate the manner in which the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of an automatic electric toaster embodying the present invention wherein certain parts are shown cut away to reveal the mechanism and to facilitate the description;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a latch control mechanism constituting a part of the toaster of Fig. 1, shown in the same operated position as in Fig. 1 and viewed from the left front quarter therein;

Fig; 3 is an elevation of a part of the structure of Fig. 2 viewed from the right in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a pictorial view of the mechanism of Figs. 2 and 3 shown with certain dimensions distorted for better revealing the mechanism and facilitating the explanation;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the mechanism in a different operated position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the mechanism in the same operated position as in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 5 showing the apparatus in still another operated position;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the apparatus in the operated position of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the magnet structure of the toaster of Fig. l as viewed from the right front quarter thereof;

Fig. 10 is an elevation showing the same mechanism viewed from the left in Fig. 9 or from the left front quarter in Fig. 1;

Figs. 11 and 12 are elevations similar to Figs. 9 and 10 but showing-the apparatus in a different operated position;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show certain details of the switch mechanism of Figs. 9 to 12;

Figs. 16 and 17 show two operated positions of the switch mechanism of Figs. 9 to 12;

Fig. 18 is a schematic electric circuit diagram for the toaster of Figs. 1 to 17; and,

Figs. 19 and 20 show a modified toaster construction in two operated positions.

In Fig. 1 the frame structure of the toaster comprises a base 12, oven end walls 14 and 16, and a slotted oven cap 18. Fastened to this frame are a slotted outer casing 20, of which only one half-shell is shown, and two handles 22 and 24. Within the frame are toasting heaters 26 which define toasting spaces for slices of bread.

Mounted on the frame structure, outside the oven wall 14, is a movable carriage 32 (see also Figs. 9 to 12) which slides on vertical guide rods 34. This carriage supports a horizontal transverse shaft 36, at each end of which is mounted a. trayesupporting arm, of which only one arm 38 is shown in Fig. l. Mounted on arm 38 is a bread rack 42 for supporting and moving a slice of bread in the toasting space between two of the heaters 26. A second similar rack is supported on the other arm at the opposite end of rod 36, as is shown and described in more detail in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 132,303, filed December 10, 1949, and now Patent 2,662,466. An ear 44 at the uppermost end of arm 38 lies in a slot in a side member of the carriage 32 and limits the angle through 2,693,143 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 which this arm and the shaft 36 may turn for tilting the tray 42. A spring 46 normally holds the two trays tilted up in the position in which tray 42 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The weight of a slice of bread will swing them down to the horizontal position as shown in Fig. 5. A latch mechanism, which will be described presently in connection with Figs. 2 to 8, holds the carriage 32 in its uppermost position when the toaster is idle and releases it when the arm 38 is tilted by the weight of a slice of bread. Also supported on the frame structure of the toaster is a solenoid magnet Stl (see also Figs. 9 and 11) for lifting the carriage 32 to its uppermost position. This magnet is energized at the end of a toasting operation by a timer (not shown) which closes a switch 54, as will be described in more detail in connection with Figs. 9 to 17. Alternatively, the switch may be closed by the manual push button 51 which deflects leaf spring 53. A bell crank 56 has one end resting on a transverse rod 58 of the carriage 32 so that it is actuated by the carriage for closing a switch 611 for energizing the toasting heaters 26 whenever the carriage 32 drops to its lowermost position.

The electric circuit for the toaster is shown schematically in Fig. 18. Electric power such as 110 v. A. C. is applied to leads 62 and 64. The magnet 59 and its controlling switch 54 are connected in series with each other across these leads. Connected in series with the toasting heaters 26 is the switch 66 and also a heater 66 of a thermal timer which latter is shunted by timer contacts 68. While i may employ any suitable timing device or mechanism for determining the proper time to terminate the toasting operation, I prefer a thermal timer of the heat-up cool-oil? type such as is shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,288,713. The heater 66 and contacts 66 are parts of such a timer and are not otherwise shown herein.

Figs. 2 to 8 show the latch mechanism for the carriage 32 more in detail and illustrate its mode of operation. In these figures the parts of the mechanism that are supported directly on the frame structure of the toaster rather than on the carriage 32 are inked in heavy lines, whereas those mounted on the carriage 32 and movable therewith are shown in light lines. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show the mechanism in the same position as in Fig. 1, that is, in the position that the mechanism occupies when the toaster is idle and notloaded. Figs. 2 and 3 are orthographic elevations. Fig. 4 is a pictorial view having certain dimensions distorted for revealing the whole mechanism.

A bracket 70 supported on the end wall 14 of the oven (see aiso Fig. 1) supports a pivoted control lever 72 which normally is held by a spring 74- against a stop 76. An arm 78 of the control lever 72 carries a small latch piece 82 which normally is held by a spring 84 in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein pin 86 stops against the lower edge of the arm 78. A lug or abutment 90 which constitutes part of a bracket 92 fastened to the carriage 32 normally rests on the detent 82 for supporting the carriage in its uppermost position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. A pin 94 is reciprocable in a bracket 96 which constitutes a part of the pivoted arm 38 and is urged upward by spring 95 so that its upper end lies in front (to the right, as seen in Fig. 2) of the lower end of the pivoted control lever 72.

As is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when a slice of bread is placed on the bread rack 42 the weight of the bread slice is sufiicient to rotate the bread rack to the horizontal position. This action rotates bracket 96 and pin 94 to a vertical position, and in so doing moves pin 94 against the lower end of control lever 72 so as to rotate the arm 78 and the latch piece 52 about the horizontal pin 73 on which the control arm 72 is pivoted. Since the upper end of the latch 82 is considerably below the pin 73 (see Fig. 3) this rotation moves the latch 82 clear of the lug 90 and thereby releases the entire carriage 32 to let it drop. As the carriage drops, it carries with it arm 36, bracket 96, bread rack 42 and pin 94, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. Pin 94, by dropping away from control lever 72, releases it and lets it be returned by spring 74 to the position in which it appears in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, with arm 78 lying against stop 76.

The downward movement of the carriage 32 carries the bread on the rack 42 down into the space between the toasting heaters 26 (Fig. 1), and as previously mentioned, the switch 60 energizes the heaters and also the thermal timer. After the completion of the toasting operation the timer energizes magnet 50, in a manner to be explained in more detail presently, which again lifts the carriage into its uppermost position. Figs. 7 and 8 show the latch mechanism of Figs. 2 to 6 in the position it occupies just as the carriage approaches that uppermost position. As shown in Fig. 8, the lug 90 on the racket 2 deflects the latch 82 and will be held thereby, as in Figs. 3 and 4, when the carriage reaches its uppermost position. As shown in Fig. 7, pin 94 is lifted into abutment with the lower end of control lever 72 so that the upward motion of bracket 96 compresses spring 95. I t is thus seen that the upward motion of the carriage 32 does not rotate the control lever 72 but does leave the carriage latched at 82. When the toast is manually lifted from the toast racks, spring 46 swings the rack 42, arm 38, bracket 96, and pin 94 back into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This motion releases pin 94 from its engagement with the bottom end face of lever 72 so that spring 5 5 lifts it into position where it is ready to drive the control arm 72 again when the rack 42 is reloaded.

As may be seen in Figs. 9 to 12, the carriage 32 includes horizontal plates 1112 and 1114 joined by tubes 106 which slide on the guide rods 34. The coil 110 and magnetic frame 112 of the magnet 50 are supported on the frame structure of the toaster. The core 114 moves vertically in and out of the coil and is fastened to the lower plate 104 of the carriage so as to move the carriage therewith. The core has a sufliciently close fit with a brass liner 116 to act as a piston therein to cushion the fall of the carriage during its downward motion. The upper end of the tube 116 is closed with a magnetic plug 118 which has an air passage 120 and a check valve 122. This valve closes during the descent of the carriage to provide the dashpot action just described and opens during the ascent-so as to permit that action to take place as quickly as possible and thereby avoid noise that A. C. energization might otherwise produce.

As is shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the switch 54 includes two leaf springs 12$ and 130 which interfere to provide a latch. Spring 128 carries a contact button 131 insulated therefrom as is shown in Fig. 13, which cooperates with a stationary contact 132 as shown in Figs. and 12. Shoulders 136 of spring 128 and shoulders 138 of spring 1311 (Figs. 14 and 15) constitute the engaging latch portions of those springs. As viewed in Figs. 10 and 12, spring 123 is biased down and spring 130 is biased to- Ward the right. In the open position of the switch (Figs. 10 and 17) spring 123 is held in an elevated posi tion by shoulders 138 on spring 130. When the lower end of spring 130 is deflected it permits spring 138 to flex down for bringing spring 130 into engagement with contact 132. The contacts are restored to open position by lifting spring 128.

At the end of the toasting operation an arm 140 (Figs. 1, 10 and 12) which constitutes a part of the timer, is moved to the left as shown in Fig. 12 for deflecting spring 131) and thereby closing the contacts 131132. Alternatively, arm 140 may be deflected by the manual push button 51. which deflects spring 53 against an abutment member 146 which is hinged to the timer lever 140, as best shown in Figs. 10 and 12. Closing of the contacts 131-432 energizes the magnet 50 as previously described (see circuit, Fig. 18) to lift the carrier 32 into the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Arm 142, supported on the plate 102 of the carriage, slides along a vertical rod 144, and during the last bit of the upward motion of the carriage 32 this arm lifts the rod 144 which in turn lifts the latch spring 128 for opening the contacts 131132.

Rod 144 also lifts the abutment member 146, which is important in connection with the manual button 51. When this abutment member is lifted as shown in Fig. 10, it is out of alignment with the spring 53 so that under the conditions the switch spring 130 cannot be actuated manually. In the manual control of the magnet 50, the button 51 is actuated to move the arm 140 for closing switch 130-132 The magnet 50 then lifts the carrier in a small fraction of a second and it is desirable that abutment 146 be pulled out of engagement so that it will no longer hold the spring 130 toward the left but rather will let it deflect under its own spring bias for latching the contacts 131-132 open. Furthermore, if the manual button should be held depressed, the lifting of the abutment 146 by the rod 144 disengages it from the spring 53 so that even though the button 51 should be continually held, mere lowering of the carriage could not cause the switch 131132 to immediately reclose. The switch can be reclosed manually only by releasing the button and pushing it again.

Figs. 19 and 20 show a modified construction for the latch mechanism of Figs. 2 to 8. There a pair of latch arms 152 and 154 are pivoted at 156, and supported thereby on the frame structure of the toaster. These arms are biased toward each other by a spring 158 and stop against pins 162 and 164. A bracket for supporting a bread rack 172 is pivoted on the vertically movable carriage at 174, and carries a pin 176 and a roller 178 thereon for engaging detents 182 and 184 on the levers 152 and 154. When the carrier is raised to its uppermost position at the end of a toasting operation with the bread rack 172 horizontal, as it will be when supporting toast, roller 178 deflects the levers 152 and 154 aside and when the carriage reaches its uppermost position engages detent 182 for supporting the carriage. When the toast is removed from the bread rack 17 2, that rack swings up to a tilted position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 19, so that roller 178 is swung to the right and so disengages detent 182 and permits the carriage to drop. The carriage drops only the short distance needed to let roller 178 engage detent 184 of the other lever 154. Subsequently when bread is again placed on the rack 172 the bracket 170 swings to the left and causes the roller 178 to disengage detent 184 and thereby permit the carrier to drop away from levers 152 and 154. Obviously if the bread rack 172 should have no bread on it during the upward motion of the carriage, roller 178 will engage detent 184 immediately.

It will be recognized that the invention is not limited to the specific details of the embodiments herein shown and described but includes such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in an automatic toaster, a carriage for carrying bread from an initial position to a toasting position, said carriage being biased toward toasting position, a detent for holding said carriage in said initial position, said detent being supported on a part of said toaster relative to which said carriage moves, a bread-engaging member on said carriage movable thereon in response to loading and unloading thereof, a yieldable latch element on one of said bread-engaging member and detent biased for engaging the other for establishing a driving connection therebetween for moving said detent for releasing said carriage, said other member having an abutment for holding said latch element out of engagement, the spacing and orientation of the foregoing parts being such that movement of said bread-engaging member from breadfree position to bread-engaged position releases said carriage, whereby loading of bread on said carriage causes said carriage to move to toasting position and thereby disengage said latch element, said abutment being aligned with said latch element so that when said carriage returns to said initial position with said bread-engaging member in bread-engaged position, said latch is held out of engagement by said abutment.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch element is resilient and is supported on said bread-engaging member.

3. In an automatic toaster comprising a carriage movable up and down for carrying bread between a lower, cooking position and an upper, bread-handling position, a detent on a part of said toaster with respect to which said carriage moves, a shoulder on said carriage under which said detent is engageable for holding said carriage in said upper position, said detent being biased to carriageholding position, and bread-actuated means and means for connecting said bread-actuated means to said detent and including a shiftable member for releasing the detent in response to movement of said bread-actuated means, the improvement wherein said detent is movable in two different, generally horizontal directions from said carriage-holding position, an inclined surface on one of said detent and shoulder for deflecting said detent in one of said directions, independently of said shiftable member to pass said shoulder as said carriage moves into said upper position, whereby said detent engages beneath said shoulder for holding the carriage, said connecting means being operable for moving said shiftable member and said detent in unison in the other of said two directions for moving it out of engagement with said shoulder and releasing said carriage, whereby the two directions of motion of said detent permit it to deflect for engaging the shoulder and holding the carriage as it moves into its upper position without requiring motion of said detent and shiftable member in the carriage-releasing direction.

4. In an automatic cooking device having heating means, a carriage for receiving and supporting an article to be cooked and movable between an upper loading position and a lower cooking position, a rack pivoted on said carriage for up and down swinging movement and normally biased upwardly, and abutment means on said carriage; the provision of coupling means interconnecting said abutment means and said rack in its upwardly biased position for holding said carriage in loading position and including a shiftable member in mechanical driving engagement with said rack in the loading position of the carriage with the rack biased upwardly, and detent means carried'by said shiftable member and movable relative thereto in one direction for engaging said abutment means to hold the carriage in loading position, and said rack operating when pivoted downwardly to mechanically shift said shiftable member and detent in unison in another direction to clear said abutment means and release the carriage for travel to its lower cooking position.

5. In an automatic cooking device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rack includes a latch device abutting the shiftable member with the carriage in loading position and the rack in its downward position and extensible when the rack is biased upwardly to shift into mechanical driving engagement with said shiftable member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,524,193 Mann Jan. 27, 1925 2,036,210 Graham Apr. 7, 1936 2,194,859 Malmquist et al. Mar. 26, 1940 2,285,231 Scharf June 2, 1942 2,288,713 Ireland July 7, 1942 2,307,347 Anderson Jan. 5, 1943 2,347,385 Wright et al Apr. 25, 1944 2,347,611 Purpura Apr. 25, 1944 2,361,446 Anderson Oct. 31, 1944 2,389,927 Parr Nov. 27, 1945 2,426,620 Koci Sept. 2, 1947 

